Change can be for the best or for the worst
by TFALokiwriter
Summary: Only former bridge specialist of the USS Discovery knows better than anyone. AU, post season 1.


Life, as everyone knew it, was not logical. Burnham knew that for certain standing on the bridge behind acting captain Saru. The war with the Klingons was over. Her service to Starfleet as everyone knew it was over. No more Burnham aboard. Her eyes glanced off toward the beaming bridge crew, exhausted, hopeful, and full of anticipation. Should this stunt actually prove to bring them home this time. Just this once, it had to work, with all they put into.

"We have reached starbase 46," Detmer said, as the screen showed the massive starbase.

"Mr Bryce, hail the starbase," Saru requested.

"Aye, captain," Bryce said, then turned toward his station. "Hailing frequencies have been established."

Saru stood up from the chair.

"This is acting Captain Saru of the USS Discovery," Saru said. His hands were linked behind his back. In order to not show his terror. Not to show his trembling hands. The terror that everyone aboard this ship was feeling that this could be another different timeline. "Is facility part of the United Federation of Planets? Was there a war with the Klingons as of last year concluded over Pahvo?"

Everyone was tense waiting for the reply.

"Admiral Cornwell here," Cornwell's holographic figure appeared on the padd holding onto a walking stick in her admiral gear. "Yes, the war ended, officially three days ago." Saru remained composed. "Pahvo is under Starfleet protection." Saru briefly closed his eyes then reopened them feeling elated. They were still safe. Perhaps he could pay a visit to them after this. He did need to visit them after all for another relaxing dip of peace. "Welcome home, Discovery."

Bryce grinned, widely, as the other officers shared relieved smiles except for Burnham.

"I will see you soon, Captain Saru," Cornwell said.

Saru slowly turned in the direction of Burnham as the bridge erupted in cheers.

"Goodbye, captain," Burnham said, then she turned away heading toward the doors.

Burnham left the Kelpian.

"Goodbye," Saru said, sadly watching the doors close behind her. "Commander."

* * *

"Michael Burnham, you have been released."

The light blue field vanished from the door. It was odd. She hadn't expect that to happen. It was unreal how they were releasing her from prison. It became real when they handed her the belongings that she came in with. Philippa's insignia. The equivalent of a dog tag, historically. Some federation credits. A hair band. And nothing else except for her clothes. She returned yellow jumpsuit into the small container. The doors opened before her for what seemed to be the last and final time. Out she went through the large doors. Walking a familiar path set between two heavily generated fences. The fence doors opened one last time to reveal a figure waiting by the doors. Burnham made her way out from behind the fence gate.

"Admiral Cornwell," Burnham said. "I expect you have much to explain."

A smile grew on the aged woman's face.

"You have a lot of people to thank," Cornwell said. "I started the petition for your acts in the war."

"Why?" Burnham asked.

"Because a mutineer would have doomed the Discovery not save it," Cornwell said. "In starfleet's eyes." her eyes softened on Burnham. "I. . . we. . . I mean, we understand why Admiral Anderson wanted you promoted to captain so fast." she gestured off away from the gates. "I have something very important to speak with you about."

Burnham came to the admiral's side then they walked past the generated fence.

Burnham had spent over six months in prison and another month after the war. It had taken a month for the petition to be granted. She had been kept out of the loop. Burnham wasn't sure if that was logical to keep a criminal out of the loop. Perhaps that was illegal as criminals had to be part of the appeal process step by step. She had not appealed the decision made by Starfleet and likely would never have done it at all. The restaurant they came to was seemingly old fashion. Neon lights glowed in the night outside listing the name of the restaurant. The scenery was clean and bright with tables to the side with long, extended chairs by the tables sides. A long bar with rotating small chairs installed into the floor. She sat across from the admiral at one of these restaurants. Burnham was in her civilian attire consisting of a blue jacket, white shirt, and blue pants. Almost a mirror of what she had left behind only without the starfleet additions. Cornwell was in her admiral outfit.

"What is it that you need, admiral?" Burnham asked.

"Your friend, Tilly," Her heart felt like it was slightly yanked from where it rested. "she is going to her first ship since the Discovery." her heart fell back into place. "She needs a captain to reacquaint her to peace time." It then occurred to Burnham what Cornwell was here for. She was here to talk Burnham into becoming a captain. Becoming a captain was surely in the cards before her mutiny. Her only mutiny. And now it was available. Again.

"I am not that person you seek," Burnham said. The waitress put two drinks onto the table. Burnham took a glass that was labeled plomeek tea. "Saru would make a excellent captain."

"That he does," Cornwell said. "he is over-seeing the Discovery turned back to warp drive. He is busy."

"Busy?" Burnham said, raising a brow. She took a sip from the tea. "He will need the best engineers on there. He must have recruited her by now."

"You forget that Tilly has no experience on a warp drive based ship," Cornwell said. "She was on a ship that was high."

"I would not say it was high," Burnham said, she lowered the glass to the table. "it used mushrooms."

"You know as ridiculous as it sounds," Cornwell said.

"Weird is part of Starfleet, admiral," Burnham said, calmly.

"You have been a positive influence on the ensign," Cornwell said. "She was very passionate about you and claimed she would rather serve under a captain like you as her girlfriend. In fact, she would prefer to not serve in Starfleet at all without you." Cornwell finished her drink in the ensuing silence that she was sharing with the mutineer. Burnham's face was stoic betraying not a emotion that she was feeling. Cornwell put her glass onto the table.

"I will consider it," Burnham said.

Cornwell nodded, taking out some federation credits from her wallet.

"Georgiou would be proud of you," Cornwell said. "And you might want to hold off on leaving too fast, Commander."

Cornwell stood up from the table then exited the room. Burnham recomposed herself resting in the seat. The silence was welcoming for the Vulcan raised human. The waitress placed a menu on the table. Her future was like a menu. Illogical yet it still had the options taken. There were few logical options to be taken that were not desirable. To few, they were logical options to be taken. Most of the options lead her to the private sector. The only people who she would benefit were not going to be Starfleet, the federation, or herself. Exploring was in her heart. To boldly go where no one had gone before.

"Michael?" came Tilly's voice.

Burnham stood up then turned in the direction of Tilly.

"Sylvia," Burnham said, as Tilly approached. "Do you really want a life without Starfleet?"

"You are my best friend," Tilly said. "and my girlfriend. We can work things out. With you, it just feels right."

"It does not feel right to be without me," Burnham said.

"Yes," Tilly said, slowly taking Burnham's hands that were clasped in front of her torso. "For the first time in my life, there are people who like me, love me for who I am, and support me. No complaining about my snoring, my hair, or how I look. It feels. . "

"Positive," Burnham said. She nodded, keeping her gaze on Tilly. "I understand."

Tilly nodded in return.

"I love you very much," Tilly said. Two of Burnham's fingers went up moving her somewhat closed hand up. Tilly's eyes went down toward them then looked glowingly at Burnham.

"I love you too, Sylvia," Burnham said, as a smile grew on Tilly's face. Tilly moved her hands enough to complete the ozh'esta.

Tilly placed a kiss on Burnham's lips.

* * *

Burnham still felt out of place living among society not being in a cage with a schedule that was routine and had to be kept. She felt like a stranger in where she didn't belong. Burnham had a firm idea of who she was and where she fit in the line of the universe. Given her rank back, she hadn't decided whether or not to return out there. It had been a year since the Discovery. A year since Gabriel Lorca was mutinied against by First Officer Saru, Doctor Culber, and most of the bridge officers. Burnham had stayed out of the mutiny. Off the bridge, essentially, as she could not be tried for mutiny along with her colleagues. Lorca was taken into a separate cell from L'Rell and Tyler had attended some Vulcan healers to help with his 'double soul' problem. She hadn't seen the captain or the security officer since going to starbase 47. It was only there a bit afterwards that she learned that Lorca wasn't their Lorca but had belonged to the parallel universe they had been briefly thrown into.

It was chaotic then.

The chaos was over, now.

Burnham took Georgiou's insignia wherever she went.

It was placed in her pocket that was velcrowed so it didn't fall out.

It was Burnham's most precious belonging that she could not give away.

"Michael!" Came a distant cheerful voice.

Burnham turned her attention toward a distant figure.

Tilly came out of the fog with a basket side by side with Culber and Stamets. No longer a cadet but a ensign awaiting a new assignment. The offer Cornwell had given, earlier, being on the bridge again didn't ring as it had coming from her T'hy'la. It didn't feel the same without Georgiou being there to watch her take command of a ship. It had been that way being on the bridge again without _her_. A void that could never be filled on the center of the bridge. Tilly had slowly began to fill another void. A friendship, more than that actually. It was Tilly who was okay with Tyler being part of their relationship. And now, he was gone too. There was Tilly with her new found parental figures, Stamets and Culber. Tilly waved her free hand, energetically. Her red, wild curly hair was freely flying in the air.

"We found yoooouu!" Tilly sang

Burnham grew a small smile as the group approached her.

"So this is the spot we're having a picnic?" Culber asked, as Burnham stepped aside.

"Mushrooms," Stamets said, going past Culber.

"Apparently so," Burnham said. "It has a unique view of the lake, the mountain, and a very wet environment."

"I love these mushrooms!" Stamets said. "They are so small." he was knelt down toward the mushrooms with adoring eyes toward them. "Babies, look at the babies." he smiled, his eyes lovingly gazing on the small mushrooms sprouting from the dirt.

"You picked this spot to please my husband, didn't you?" Culber said.

"I picked this place because of the boulder," Burnham pointed to the solid ground that Tilly was patting down the red and white blanket. "perfect aesthetic."

Culber went over to Stamets to bring back him back over toward the picnic site.

"It is very family friendly," Tilly commented.

"Speaking of family," Burnham said, taking items out of the picnic container. Stamets and Culber stopped what they were doing sitting down onto the blanket. "Tilly and I are considering of becoming one."

"We're not considering, we are girlfriends," Tilly said, linking a arm on Burnham's shoulder.

"It is about time," Culber said.

"AND," Tilly said. "she is my superior officer."

"I have not accepted the offer," Burnham said.

"You're a commander," Tilly said. "still applies. It'll be soooo cool to serve under a captain who ended the war."

"She is right," Culber said. "if my partner saved everyone and Starfleet itself, it would be coo-oh wait, he did."

"I am right here, you know," Stamets said. "At least you two want to be in space."

"Mr Stamets here is going to accept the vice admiral position," Culber said, as Stamets wore a big smile looking off toward the doctor with a loving look. "I am joining him. Treating his advanced brain the way I did?" he dusted off imaginary dust off his shoulder then observed his fingernails. "Exceptional."

"That's even cooler," Tilly said.

"Not really," Stamets said. "I am non-linear."

Culber sat down onto the ready made picnic spot with Stamets.

"Oh," Tilly said. "That wouldn't be cool."

"Uh huh," Culber said, taking out a glass.

"How do you ground yourself to the present?" Burnham asked.

Culber and Stamets exchanged a knowing brief glance.

"Hard work," Stamets said.

Culber took out a bottle of champagne. He poured himself a glass then handed it to Stamets. One by one the group poured a glass. Tilly took out several wrapped sandwiches, sliced water melons, and other fruit. She took out her personal padd. She swiped on the screen to see a message from Saru. Tilly smiled down at the screen then typed away. She held the padd up then held it up in and leaned into the centered group, and said, "say DISCOVERY!"

Burnham held her hand up performing the ta'al greeting as the three other members smiled.

From the currently-being-refitted Discovery, Saru saw the picture pop up on his padd.

It was going to be fine, Saru was assured, perfectly fine. Maybe chaotic. But fine all the way.

 **The End.**


End file.
